Bill Thom
1997 Boston Marathon
2:58:06
Starting back at Lane Technical HS, Bill has been a distance runner since 1977 and a Riis Park Strider from the early `80's. He did his collegiate running at Arkansas St. University, Lettering in Track and Cross Country earning All Conference status punctuated with a 4th place overall finish in the Southland Conference X-C Championship, 1981. "Arkansas was an ideal place to be a runner... great teammates & coaching, intensely hot conditions, occasionally world class competition, and very little else to do but train." Through one X-C season he averaged nearly 17 miles per day. His biggest road race victory came the following Spring at the St. Louis/St. Patrick's Day 5 mile. 24:50 for first place in a field of 4500.
Recently Bill has tried his luck at ultra-marathoning. Surviving the Ice Age Trail 50 Mile Run in the Spring of 1996 and running it again in 1997. "I needed a PR in something. The only thing to do was move up in distance!" The rest of the year Bill gets in his 5 or 6 miles before work. Racing has become more of a social event than an all out zealous endeavor. Perfect for the Riis Park setting with it's seasonal schedule of road races, cross country, track and relay races. "It's great being able to race casually year round. And if you're looking for a taste of competitive days gone by, you're sure to find them, with your best running friends, at Riis Park!"
Personal Records
Mile 5K 10K 15K 20K Marathon 50 Mile
4:22 14:55 30:50 48:55 1:07:22 2:41:53 8:34:12
1982 1982 1982 1983 1980 1985 1997
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